Collapsible crate



ne 19, 5.- c. H. ROUMILL'AT- 78, 05 COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed May 19, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l Julie 19-, 1945.

c. H. ROUMILLAT COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed-May 19, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 19, 1945 I UNITED STATE S PATENT OFFICE ooLLAPsIBLE CRATE can H. Roumillat, Neptune Beach; Fla.

Application May 1.9, 1943; Serial'No. 487,630

mins. ((1217-43) This invention relates to shipping crates, and particularly to the type known as knock-down crates which are intended to be collapsed after the contents have been removed to be returned andrefilled for further shipping.

It is an object of this invention to provide a collapsible crate which, when collapsed, occupies comparatively little space in order that the'c'apacity of a car will not be encroached upon by bulky assemblies of the crates in reshipping,

It is a further object of this invention to provide a collapsible crate of-tlie characterindicated, the parts of which can be readily assem- I bled and, when assembled, the structureis sturdy and will withstand unusually rough treatment in 5 handling. I c

Furthermore, an object of the invention is to provide a removable top or cover which is held in place without nails, staples or other fastenings which are liable to injure the material.cor npris ing the crate, and the top is readily removed so that the contents thereof can be inspected and can be re-secured in place without fastenings other than that comprising the crate structure.

It is a further object, of the invention to provide a crate having a design of simple construction which is comparatively inexpensive toproduce and maintain and a crate that can be/manufactured without employing special machinery,- as all of the materialis produced by straight cuts without bevelled edges. I

It is a still further-object of this invention to produce a crate having bulkheads with more than usual rigidity as compared with containers nowin common use, and the crate will be efiective to deliver, its contents to the destination'in better condition, as the rigidity of the crate will enable it to stand greater mistreatment through transit:

for preserving its contents and it will be in better condiion for re-shipment.

With the foregoing and otherobjects in view, the invention consistsin the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a crate embodying the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a view in elevation of the crate collapsed for storage or shipment;

Figure 3 illustrates a plan view of the edge of the bulkhead;

Figure 4 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view approximately centrally of the crate;

Figure 5 illustrates a detail view showing fragments of the crate in different positions of assembly;

Figure 6' illustrates a view in elevation of the inside of the crate at one end; and

Figure '7 illustrates a view in elevation of a fragment of the crate with the bulkhead in section, as'itappears when the bulkhead is being installed. v

In these drawings, the body of the crate, that is to say, the portions which are fastened together to Ice-positioned for setting up the crate or for collapsing it comprise two sides, and each side, in this embodiment, has two side strips suchas I!) and II, and loops or bands. I2, l3 and I4 encircle the, sides and the upper and lower edges of the said sides. The bands may be attached to the sides by fastenings l5 such as looped staples.

in the loops of which the bands may partially rotate in order that the two sides maybe moved to parallel positions with relation to each other, and the top and bottom elements l6 and Il, as well as the bulkheads, to be hereinafterdescribed, are nested between the sides so that all of the parts of the collapsed crateare bundled in condition for re-shipment- At each end, the inner surfaces of the sides have battens I 8 attached to them and each batten terminates at its lower end so that a space I9 is produced between the end of the batten and the lower edge of the side. The upper end of the batten is shaped to form a projection 20 which extends above the shoulder 28 formed at the top of the batten and there is a space between the upper end of the batten I8 and the upper edgeof the side. Battens similar to l8 are duplicated at each end of each side and when the two sides are moved to vertical positions, the crate is assembled by inserting the bottom member l1 between the sides, and it is shown that this bottom member has a batten 23 on its lower surface at each end, the said batten fitting against that portion of an end loop which surrounds the crate structure. The bottom member therefore occupies a space well below the end of the batten l8 so that a clearance is formed for the reception of a batten 24 which is attached to the bulkhead, generally identified by the numeral 25. It may be stated .that the bulkhead consists of an end member 26 which is at the end of the crate and vertically disposed battens 2! and 28 near each 2 i i i 2,878,505

edge of the member 26. Horizontally disposed battens are attached to the battens 21 and, 28, the one 24 being at the bottom of the bulkhead and one other 29 being attached in like manner at the top of the bulkhead. As shown in the drawingsjthe battens 24 and 29 extend beyond the battens 21 and 28 so that when the bulkheads are assembled, the projections 20 of the battens l8 fit into the space at the outer edges of the battens 21 and 28, and the battens 29 are then caused to engage the shoulders 2| and the battens 24 are then moved or shoved under the lower ends of the battens l8 into the spaces l9 below the lower ends of the battens l8. A hinge-like action occurs to cause the bulkhead to be applied to the top of the battens l8 before the bulkhead is shoved outwardly at its end for seating the battens 24 in the manner just stated. bottom member is inserted above the different wire bands, the central band supports the bottom memher at the center, whereas the other bands [2 and i4 support the bottom member at its ends.

When the sections of the crate are assembled in the manner stated, the cover or top 16 is appliedin place. The top or cover has battens 30 and 3| attached to it on the upper surface at the ends and when the said cover is applied, an end may be inserted under an end band and the said cover and its batten moves into a clearance between the band and the upper end of the bulkhead. The cover is then extended over the top of the central band l3 and flexed downwardly at its other end so that it may be inserted between the other end band and the bulkhead, when by further pressure which forces the cover longitudinally, the batten at the other end will pass under the wire or :band and snap upwardly so that the cover is in engagement with the band, and the inner edge of the batten engages the band and thereby the cover is held in closed position. To open the crate to display the contents thereof, it is only necessary to press downwardly on the end of the top or cover and move it longie tudinally so that the batten at that end passes the band or loop when it will spring upwardly and the top can thus be removed. I

It is understood that the material from which the crate is made is preferably wood which has sufficient rigidity, combined with resiliency, to cause the cOVer to resume a practically straight position after it has been deflected in the manner stated.

I claim:

1. In a collapsible shipping crate comprising two side members, bands encircling the side members and extending across the space between them, means for pivotally securing the bands to the side members whereby the said side members may assume approximately parallel positions with relation to each other, battens secured to the side members at their ends, said battens terminating in spaced relation to the lower edges When the of the side members, a shoulder at the top of each batten and a projection thereabove, a bottom for the crate having transversely disposed battens at the ends thereof, the said bottom of the crate being applied on the bands which support the said bottom with the end bands being engaged by the inner edges of the battens on the said bottom,.bulkheads each having battens extending vertically thereof at the edges and transversely disposed battens at the ends of the vertical battens, the transversely disposed battens extending beyond the vertical battens and engaging the shoulders at the top of the first mentioned battens when the bulkhead is installed, and the lower transversely disposed batten being insertable in the spaceunder the first mentioned battens, a removable cover for the crate comprising strips of material having battens on their upper surfaces at the ends thereof, the said cover being seated under the end bands and overlying the intermediate band with the inner edges of the end battens extending above and contacting the end bands whereby movement of the cover longitudinally is prevented.

2. In a collapsible shipping crate comprising two side members, bands at the ends of the side members and intermediately thereof encircling the said members and extending across the space between them at the upper and lower edges, means for pivotally securing the bands to the side members whereby said side members may assume approximately parallel positions with relation to each other in different adjustments, battens secured on the inner surfaces of the side members at their ends, said battens terminating in spaced relation to the lower edge of the side members, a shoulder at the top of each batten and a pro- J'ection thereabove, a bottom for the crate, means on the under surface of the bottom for engaging the end bands whereby the bottom is held in place, bulkheads each having battens extending vertically thereof at the side edges and transversely disposed battens secured at the endsof the vertical battens of the bulkhead, the transversely disposed battens extending beyond the verticalbattens and engaging the shoulders at the top of the first mentioned battens when the bulkhead is installed, and the lower transversely disposed batten being insertable in the space between the lower ends of the first mentioned battens, and the bottom of the crate, a flexible removable cover for the crate insertable under the end bands and overlying an intermediate band,

means projecting above the upper surface of the cover for engaging the end bands when the cover is flexed over the intermediate band and under the end bands, said cover being yieldable for moving the end of the cover 'to clear one end band, whereby it may :be shoved longitudinally and manipulated to free the cover from the crate.

CARL H. ROUMILLAT. 

